VOLUME 25, ISSUE 14 | april 4, 2025 |
CONFERENCES Some of you may not realize that I am not a big fan of conferences. Yes, I'm an introvert. Always have been. That doesn't mean I can't be confident, but throw me into a sea of people running helter skelter, checking in, signing
up, lining up, scurrying to an event . . . and I get very uncomfortable. So I do few of them anymore. If you see me at one, it's unusual, and you better grab me while you can. Instead, I prefer the small crowds. The coffee shops, the book stores, the literary groups, and the library appearances. Those I enjoy more. With my tension not as high, I talk liberally with people, and I am more willing to give advice, talk story, and
just have a good time. “A fine line separates the weary recluse from the fearful hermit. Finer still is the line between hermit and bitter misanthrope.” ― Dean Koontz, Velocity So last weekend I appeared on a mystery panel for the Read Freely Festival in Columbia, SC. Nicely run, by the way, especially for a debut conference that hopes to continue for years to come. I appeared with Carla Damron (The Orchid Tattoo) and Allie Pleiter (One Sharp Stitch). It was fun! I was glad I put myself out there for a change. But still, you don't see me out and about all that often. I much prefer my study and putting words to paper.
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Free Live Masterclass + Show Up Bonus on Tuesday, April 15th at 12 pm PT/2 pm CT/3 pm ET/8 pm BST! In How to Reach $10k Months as a Freelance Writer
Without Working 40-Hour Weeks in 4 Vital Strategies, you'll learn: => What you should (and shouldn't) pay attention to right now in our current freelance landscape => Results-driven ways to attract top-tier clients on LinkedIn => Tried-and-tested, lightning-speed marketing with no heavy-lift on weekly hours => High-payers and their
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is a gotta-be-there if you're... => Determined to attract and identify the right clients for your business while making more cash in less time with tested steps => Tired of riding the struggle bus and putting out dumpster fires, and want clients who value your work, pay well, and have ongoing projects => A motivated side-hustle writer who wants to leave your cubicle
farm for full-time freelance writing while replacing your income and gaining schedule freedom => Newer to freelance writing and want the right roadmap to walk into wins with proven systems and processes Join the free class here! Questions? mandy@mandyellis.com INDIE OR TRADITIONAL? WHICH MAKES FOR A BETTER INCOME?
This article from The Guardian talks about how self-published authors are making more and more, and that self-publishing has enabled many authors. Some self-published authors are making serious dollars these days. Quality ranks higher than before for many, which means sales are up as well. More than 2.6 million books were self-published in 2023. But . . . there is a bigger rise in book production than book readers. They are not comparable in growth. Read that again and let that sink in. A reader can read so many books in a year. A prolific reader reads a book a week. That's 52 books a year. If they have a list of preferred authors, let's just
give the benefit of the doubt and say that half of that number, 26, are open for competition from all those authors producing books. How do new authors jockey for those slots? Most readers, however, read one or two books a month. They have fewer open slots. How does an author wriggle their way onto that reading list already tied to established, successful authors, most if not all of them traditionally published? Multimillion-sellers are outliers, whether you talk self-publishing or traditional. They are rare. Natalie Butlin, creative insights director at Bookouture, the UK’s leading digital publisher (part of Hachette) thinks the real benefit of self-publishing is being able to just establish a reasonable living in the mid-market range. “If you can write a book that people want to read and you package it well, you can make £25-30,000 per book,” says Butlin. But
let's dissect Butlin's sentence. "A book that people want to read" is a huge mountain to climb. You have to develop a voice and writing style on top of a subject or theme worthy of carrying it off. "...and you package it well" means you understand what makes for beautiful formatting and cover, and you understand the means of advertising and can surf the sea of algorithms and
social media. Yes, self-publishing is opportunity. However, expect to put in the work of a college degree to understand it and manage it successfully into a six-figure income. Yes, it's doable. But it isn't a quick path on a sidewalk to the park. It's an uphill safari through miles of jungle. Yes, it's possible, but the getting there is going to take some mighty strong commitment, sweat, scrapes and bruises. But if you are game .
. . go for it. The opportunity is there. Now more than ever. But just know that a lot of people see that, and will be scrambling for the same readers you are. The Art of the Novella, the third Wayward Wormhole for Craft-Minded Writers This year the workshops are in Barbados with instructors Tobias Buckell, Karen Lord, Premee Mohammed, and Cat Rambo, on February 7-21, 2026. Submissions open April 1. Fee is $2500 (does not include accommodations, food, or transportation costs).
Now in its third year, the Wayward Wormhole provides craft-focused workshops for fantasy, horror, and science fiction writers, always in a location that will inspire and delight. Find more details at https://www.catrambo.com/wormhole/
-April 10, 2025 - The Edisto Bookstore, Edisto Island, SC - 3-5 PM -April 23, 2025 - Artist 5 Show, Newberry Opera House, Newberry, SC - 6 PM Eastern - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC -May 3, 2025 - Pelion Library Book Club, 206 Pine St, Pelion, SC, Saturday, 1-2PM Eastern -May 17, 2025 - Speaking of Writing Expo, New Bern, NC - 8-4:30PM Eastern - OPEN TO THE PUBLIC -June 7-14, 2025 - Gutsy Great Novelist Retreat, Bar Harbor, Maine
Email: hope@chopeclark.com to schedule events, online or otherwise.
"I have never started a poem yet whose end I knew. Writing a poem is discovering."
- Robert Frost
Hello Hope, I want to start by thanking you for your newsletter that I look forward to reading each week. I don't recall how I first came upon it, but I have been a subscriber for about a year now. Last year, I enrolled in a couple of Amber Petty's workshops which led to my being a published freelancer. Writing had been my dream over 30 years ago, but I thought I had missed the boat. My biggest reason for not pursuing writing earlier was that I always associated it with novel writing, which I always felt above my capabilities. After discovering the freelance course, it opened my eyes to so many more genres and
opportunities. With so many opportunities online, there is greater chance for succeeding in writing than ever before. As I have read in your newsletter, success depends on how you define it: being read, being paid, or being published. Now in retirement, I am revisiting this dream, rekindling new creativity and finding a therapeutic outlet in writing personal essays. It's never too late. Best regards,
Marie L. Mangin (See my latest successes below) We Want to Spend Retirement Taking Road Trips; Found Best Way to Do It - Business Insider I Didn't Want to Be the Evil Mother-in-Law, so Here's What I Did - Business Insider
<<If you have a success story you believe was prompted by FundsforWriters, please share with us! Send to hope@chopeclark.com >>
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Developing a More Efficient Submission Process
By Bernadette Geyer
Last year, I realized my submission process was extremely inefficient. I'd write an essay or short story and then begin searching for somewhere to submit it. It was a time-consuming process that meant I could spend up to two hours researching markets just to submit to one or two
publications.
Although I subscribe to newsletters like FundsforWriters and The Practicing Writer, I often get behind in reading them, which means I miss important submission deadlines. Also, because some magazines
limit the number of submissions, if I don't send to those within the first couple of days after they open submission portals, I have to wait until their next reading cycles.
To address these issues, I switched my process to something closer to an old-fashioned "tickler file" system. In the era before digital calendars sent reminders, a "tickler file" system consisted of folders where you'd put letters that needed to be sent that month, bills that needed to be paid, and other such
timed tasks. When the month started, you opened the folder and "tickled" your memory about what needed to be done that month.
Using a Tickler File System
For my new system, I created one Word document for each month. Each document features a bullet point list of markets that have opening dates for submission windows during that month. When I read about a magazine I want to send my writing to, I add it to the Word document list for the month in which its
reading period opens.
Next to each publication name, I write the exact date it starts accepting submissions, whether there is a limit to the number of submissions it accepts, and which genre (or genres) the editors are accepting. Some markets have multiple reading windows during the year, so it's important to note which genres are being read in each period. For example, The Rumpus is open to submissions of essays in June, July, and October, and is open to poetry only in August.
A few days before the start of the month, I print out that month's list of publications that will open their reading periods and hang this document on the bulletin board at my desk. I'll also write down which of my writings I want to send to each market. This means I'm ready to go on the first of the month – when I sit down at
my computer, I have my list in front of me showing exactly which publications to send to, what to send them, and when. As I submit, I cross those publications off the list with a pen.
I leave the list on the bulletin board so I can see at a glance any reading periods that open later in the month. Once I've submitted to all the publications on that list, I take it down to make space for the next month's list.
Alternatively, for those preferring technology, you could use
apps like Asana or Evernote to create tasks and assign due dates to receive alerts when specific publications open their reading windows. Another option is to use your smartphone calendar to add reminders about upcoming reading
periods.
Preventing Duplicate Submissions
I use an Excel spreadsheet to track which pieces I've submitted, where they were sent, the date sent, and the date I heard back from the publication. Before I submit any piece of writing, I check whether I've previously sent it to the magazine or if I already have something else under consideration there. This prevents me from sending the same essay or story to a market that's already declined it and eliminates
the risk of violating a journal's rule against multiple submissions.
With this process, I spend far less time searching for publications that are open to submissions. I can see on my monthly Word document the specific dates on which I need to submit my writing, leaving the rest of the days open for me to write. BIO: Bernadette Geyer is the author of The Scabbard of Her Throat and editor of My Cruel Invention: A Contemporary Poetry Anthology. Her
writings have appeared in Oxford American, Bennington Review, Oh Reader, Westerly, and elsewhere. Her second full-length poetry collection is forthcoming from April Gloaming Publishing in October 2025. https://bernadettegeyer.com/
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OMNIDAWN POETRY CONTESTS
https://www.omnidawn.com/contests/omnidawn-poetry-contests/
$14 ENTRY FEE FOR ONE POEM. Deadline April 16, 2025. The
winner of each of Omnidawn’s poetry book and chapbook contests wins a cash prize ($3,000 for the 1st/2nd Book and Open Contest, $1,000 for the Chapbook Contest), publication of the book by Omnidawn with a full color cover (unless the author prefers black and white), 20 free copies of the winning book, and extensive publicity through our newsletters and social media channels. NARATIVELY X BELLETRIST TRUE ROMANCE WRITING PRIZE
https://www.narratively.com/p/narratively-belletrist-true-romance-writing-prize
$10 and $20 ENTRY FEES. Deadline May 1, 2025. The Narratively x Belletrist True Romance Writing Prize will award remarkable memoir and reported stories, from love quadrangles, to lost-and-found soulmates, to unthinkable
sacrifices and bizarre romantic connections that defy all odds. We’re seeking completely new perspectives that shift our understanding of romance and relationships and reignite our pride about being human in 2025. We’ll even be teaming up with actor Emma Roberts, acclaimed producer Karah Preiss, and their production company/book club, Belletrist to develop our favorite stories for the screen. Longform (1,000-5,000 words) - One grand prize: $3,000, two finalists: $1,000 each. Shortread (up to 999
words) - One grand prize: $500 and two finalists: $250 each. INDIE AUTHOR PROJECT ANNUAL CONTEST
https://indieauthorproject.librariesshare.com/iap/
Deadline May 31, 2025. For authors, this contest is a powerful way to elevate your careers and writing goals,
powered by the library community. The winners of this contest will receive: $2,500 to the 1st place winner and $500 each to two runner-ups in each genre; honors at the 2026 Indie Author Day Reception at ALA Annual; opportunities to promote your book(s) at public libraries; inclusion in a full-page print spread in Library Journal; and opportunities to earn royalties through the IAP Select collection (ePUB format required for eligibility). Must be indie published in Mystery/Thrillers, Romance,
SciFi, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, General/Contemporary, Fiction, Memoir, or Young Adult. Author must live in the U.S. or Canada. THE HOPE PRIZE
https://www.thehopeprize.com/
EARLY BIRD ENTRY FEE $20 AUD (approx. $13 USD / €12 EUR / £10 GBP etc.). Deadline October 31, 2025. (Opens,
May 1, 2025.) The Hope Prize is an international writing competition open to writers worldwide aged 18 and over. We’re seeking powerful, original stories of hope, fiction or non-fiction, from both emerging and established voices. The winner will receive $10,000 AUD, and shortlisted stories will be published in a Simon & Schuster anthology, with royalties supporting our charity partner. This year, we’re proud to partner with CAMFED, a global leader in girls’ education and women’s empowerment
across Africa. We offer a limited number of fee-free places for writers experiencing financial hardship. A maximum of 5,000 words (no minimum). The Hope Prize is a short story competition and we accept prose short stories only; either fiction or narrative nonfiction (including memoir). We do not accept poetry, essays, or academic writing. Genre, style, and subject matter are open (and we encourage bold self expression and boundary pushing), though stories should align with the core themes of
hope, courage, and resilience, as personally experienced or imagined by you, the writer.
GRANTS / FELLOWSHIP / CROWDFUNDING AMERIND MUSEUM RESIDENCIES
https://www.amerind.org/employment-openings/
The Amerind Museum, Dragoon, AZ, seeks Artist in Residence applications from emerging Native American
artists. The selected artists must be in residence at the Amerind Museum for one month at a time to be determined between the selected artists and Amerind’s staff. The selected artist(s) will receive housing, workspace, and a $3,000/month stipend. The artist will be asked to give a public talk about their work and/or hold some open studio hours. While in residence, the artist is welcome to sell their work directly to the public. ECONOMIC HARDSHIP REPORTING PROJECT
https://economichardship.org/pitch-portal/
The Economic Hardship Reporting Project is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that produces compelling journalism on economic inequality in America. We give grants to independent journalists reporting on issues related to poverty, economic class, workers’
rights, and income disparity in the U.S., and co-publish their work in partnership with major media outlets. Many of our contributors are journalists struggling to financially sustain themselves in the increasingly low-paying media industry. We encourage people from underrepresented backgrounds to apply. NEVADA ARTIST FELLOWSHIPS
https://www.nvartscouncil.org/fy26-artist-fellowship-guidelines/
Deadline May 1, 2025. Awards $5,000. Must be an individual artist and Nevada resident 21 years or older. Recognizes committed artists living in Nevada reaching pivotal moments in their artistic practice who demonstrate sustained excellence in their work. NEVADA HERITAGE FELLOWSHIPS
https://www.nvartscouncil.org/fy26-heritage-fellowship-guidelines/
Deadline May 1, 2025. Awards $5,000. Must be an individual artist and Nevada resident 21 years or older. Recognizes tradition bearers living in Nevada whose body of work has contributed to
Nevada’s traditional arts heritage.
INCOME DIARY
https://www.incomediary.com/write-for-incomediary/
If you are an expert at anything to do with: creating awesome websites, SEO, driving traffic, content creation, entrepreneurship, or making money online, we would love to hear
from you. Pays $150 – $300. SOUTHLANDS
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1L-TEc9XFWhlOx9YYT6yIn33a1gyJ4KTk/edit?tab=t.0
Southlands is a new print journal that will publish its debut issue in September 2025—before moving on to a biannual (and,
eventually, quarterly) publication schedule. Southlands explores the diverse ways Southerners connect with the natural world.
Think Garden & Gun but more dirtbag, or the Bitter Southerner out in the woods. We build connections between the people, species, and landscapes of the South through storytelling. At the magazine's core lies its features and feature-length photo essays: deeply reported stories or immersive narratives that bring readers into the heart of the Southern wild. Features
will range in length from 1,500 to over 4,000 words. Expecting to pay $250 to $400 for the shorter and more essayistic content, and up to $1500 per contributor for the heftiest features. UTOPIA
https://www.utopiasciencefiction.com/submit
We welcome solicited and unsolicited submissions
for fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and art. We're looking for enthralling fiction stories set in a future we want to believe in, one we would fight to make a reality. 100-4,000 words is preferred, paying eight cents/word. Nonfiction articles on new discoveries, articles on new or developing technologies, and science fact sheets or trivia articles. Nonfiction pays $30 for less than 6K words. THE MARGINS
https://aaww.org/call-for-submissions-open-city
The Margins seeks pitches and submissions to Open City, its journalism section devoted to chronicling the pulse of Asian America. Through articles, features, interviews, and profiles, Open City covers Asian immigrant and Muslim communities with an emphasis on social, racial, and gender justice issues. We welcome
shoeleather reporting, hybrid essays, personality and place profiles, features, narrative storytelling, and … you get the drift. Send your pitch of no more than 500 words to Noel Pangilinan, senior editor, at opencity@aaww.org. $50 – $100 for a single poem, depending on length. $150 for flash fiction (500 to 1,000 words in length). $300 – $450 for longer works of fiction (up to ~4,000 words). $300 – $450 for essays, cnf, memoir (from 2,000 to 3,500 words). $150 – $300 for essays, cnf, memoir
(from 900 to 2,000 words). $450 for criticism and reportage by freelancers (~3,000 words). $300 for criticism and reportage by freelancers (~1,500-2,000 words). $60 – $150 for micro and flash essays. WILD WRITING
https://wildwriting.substack.com/p/pitch-me-a-travel-essay
Wild Writing is now open to pitches or submissions from writers on place and writing. And I would love to hear your stories! The rate is $200 for about 800 words. Pitch me a travel essay that incorporates the act of writing in some capacity. Or an essay on writing that’s rich in place-based details. I’m also open to destination guides that are specifically geared towards freelance writers, such as The Freelance
Writer’s Guide to Portland, Oregon. Tell me the destination you want to cover, what makes it compelling for writers, and why you’re the person to write the guide.
FLAME TREE PRESS
https://www.flametreepress.com/submissions/
We are a global publisher and sell through all major wholesalers, retailers, and online outlets, in all formats (print, ebook and audio). We sell foreign language co-editions and
translation rights to publishers in many countries around the world. The Press list focuses on new novels in horror, supernatural, sci-fi and fantasy, with award-winning authors and original voices. LINEN PRESS
https://www.linen-press.com/submissions/
Linen Press is looking for beautifully
written manuscripts which are relevant to women’s lives and which surprise us with their style and content. We welcome submissions from established and emergent writers, writers from minority groups, and those who write in English as a second language. We publish literary fiction, top end contemporary fiction, memoir, biography, short stories and poetry. Non-fiction that is relevant to women’s lives and experiences will also be considered. We are building a list of international authors. HARLEQUIN
https://harlequin.submittable.com/submit
Harlequin is always on the lookout for talented writers—from established authors to those just starting their writing careers. We publish a wide range of stories and welcome writers from all backgrounds, cultures and communities to submit to the
romance line best suited to their unique voice and story. The Harlequin Romance Billionaires Wanted Pitch Day submission box will open April 10, 2025 from 12:00am to 11:59pm ET. The Romance Includes You Mentorship submission box will open May 1, 2025 at 12:00am ET. HERA
https://www.herabooks.com/submissions/
Our founders have a wealth of experience from the biggest retailers, digital publishers and trade publishers in the UK – and a proven track record in launching authors’ careers globally. We're looking for crime and thriller, romance, saga and general fiction of at least 80,000 words. Please note we are not publishing non fiction, young adult or children’s fiction, poetry, science fiction and fantasy or short stories. LEGEND PRESS
https://www.legendpress.co.uk/submissions
At Legend Press, we are keen to find new writing talent. We specialise in original fiction, crime thrillers and historical. For all non-fiction submissions, please consider submitting to Hero Press our sister imprint.
Please forward the newsletter in its entirety. To reprint any editorials, contact hope@fundsforwriters.com for permission. Do not assume that acknowledgements listed in your publication is considered a valid right to publish out of ours.
C. Hope Clark
E-mail: hope@fundsforwriters.com
140-A Amicks Ferry Road #4
Chapin, SC 29036
http://www.fundsforwriters.com Copyright 2000-2025, C. Hope Clark
ISSN: 1533-1326 Our subscriber list is NOT made available to others. Use information listed at your own risk. FundsforWriters gives no warranty to completeness, accuracy, or fitness of the markets, contests, and grants although research is done to the best of our
ability. FundsforWriters finds open submission calls, contests, and markets from a wide variety of sources, including Erika Dreifus' Practicing Writer
newsletter, Erica Verrillo's blog, Authors Publish, Poets & Writers, Duotrope, Winning Writers, Write Jobs Plus, LinkedIn Jobs, Emily Stoddard, and other newsletters and online sites. Many announcements are submitted directly to FundsforWriters. All must be paying opportunities. Contests must pay a minimum of $200 first place. Submit potential listings to hope@chopeclark.com **Note that FundsforWriters.com places paid advertising in this newsletter. ALL ads are related to writers and the business of writing, screened by FundsforWriters to make sure the information is suitable for writers and their endeavors to improve their careers. While the mailing list is
not sold to third parties, other parties do advertise in the newsletter, to include the occasional solo ad. You will not receive this newsletter without your permission. It's physically impossible since recipients must opt-in, giving us permission to send the newsletter. If at any time you no longer wish to receive the newsletter, click the UNSUBSCRIBE link at the bottom of each newsletter. We want you to enjoy this newsletter at your pleasure, not be forced to read anything you do not wish to
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